Ketamine for Pain in the Emergency Department

A literature review was performed that searched for randomized clinical trials involving
ketamine IV boluses for acute pain in the Emergency Department. Studies involving continuous
infusions or intranasal routes of ketamine administration were not included. Thirteen
randomized clinical trials were identified meeting this criteria. None of these trials
directly compared ketamine doses within the 0.1-0.3 mg/kg range for pain score reduction and
adverse events. Many of these trials concluded with the recommendation that further studies
were needed to evaluate the optimal dosing of ketamine for acute pain and determine which
populations are most ideal for its use. This study will be the first to evaluate ketamine for
acute pain in the emergency department at standard of care doses (0.1 mg/kg, 0.2 mg/kg, and
0.3 mg/kg IV) to determine which dose correlates with the most efficacy and safety.

This study will include the following procedures:

- Patient consent, screening, and enrollment will be performed by the treating resident or
attending who will remain blinded

- Patient will be assigned a subject number

- Treating resident or attending will notify the ED pharmacist that a patient has been
enrolled in the trial

- ED pharmacist will notify the IV room and place the study drug order

- Either the ED pharmacist or a pharmacy supervisor will randomize the subject based on
the predetermined randomization list

- Study drug will be prepared as 0.1 mg/kg, 0.2 mg/kg, or 0.3 mg/kg IV dose in a 100 mL
solution of dextrose 5% or sodium chloride 0.9%

- ED pharmacist will promptly deliver the study drug to the ED

- Baseline vital signs will be assessed prior to starting the study drug infusion

- Study drug will be administered via IV infusion over 20 minutes

- Treating resident or attending will reassess the patient at 15 minutes from the end of
infusion, at 30 minutes from the end of infusion, and then every 30 minutes for up to
120 minutes or until discharge, whichever is sooner

Inclusion Criteria:

- Acute pain (including acute on chronic pain)

- Pain score of moderate to severe (> 4/10) on the Numerical Rating Scale

- Provider determines the patient requires intravenous ketamine for analgesia

Exclusion Criteria:

- History of hypersensitivity to ketamine

- Altered mental status

- Psychiatric illness

- Known history of renal or hepatic insufficiency

- Acute head or eye injury

- Suspected intracranial hypertension or mass

- Headache as the chief complaint

- Alcohol or drug abuse

- Received an analgesic within the last four hours

- History of congestive heart failure

- History of aortic or brain aneurysm

- Active Chest Pain

- Porphyria

- Active methadone treatment

- Pregnant or breastfeeding

- Signs of respiratory, hemodynamic, or neurologic compromise

- Systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg or > 180 mmHg

- Heart rate < 50 beats per minute or > 150 beats per minute

- Respiratory rate < 10 breaths per minute or > 30 breaths per minute

- Glasgow Coma Score < 15

- Previously received ketamine < 0.3 mg/kg IV for acute pain in the emergency department